Measuring device for liquids



Sept. 29, 1931, J. L. PATTERSON MEASURING DEVICE FOR LIQUIDS Original Filed sept. s, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet l Sept. 29, 1931.

J. L. PATTERSON MEASURING DEVICE FOR LIQUIIDS 2 Sheet-Sheet Original Filed Sept. 5, 1924 GWW/magg by-step rotation to said points are connection with each Patented Sept. 29, 1931 UNITED-STATES? PATENT OFFICE JOHN L. PATTERSON, OIF RICHMOND, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR TQ RICHMOND BEVERAGE .1E-EACHINE.Y CORPORATION, OFIRICH'MOND, VIRGINIA, A CORPORATION 0F VIRGINIA- MEABURIING DRQVICE'FOR LIQ-'GIDS l Original application led Septemberf, 1924,-Seria'l1io.

` this application; Med ctober 4l, 1927.

l 1927.- Divide and This invention has reference to a measuring device designed primarily for 'use irland as a part ofanapparatus for dispensinglbeverages, such as carbonated water VfliwpredV with .fruit Syrups. The purpose of the-.Adevice is'to receive a suitably flavored syrup from a tank or container, andto deliver the same in accurately measured and 4uniform quantities or charges to cups to a nozzle arranged tofdeliver carbonated water to such cups or receptacles. l Itl may, however, be used merely as a measuring de vice for liquids generally. Y

The present application is a division of application Serial No,v 735,613, tiled in my name September 3, 1924 which has eventuated in Patent No. 1,650,151 dated November. 22, 1927, this divisional application being made pursuant to oiiicialrequirement. 4 Y

The invention is illustratedV in the accompanying drawings, in which: 4

Figure 1 is a front elevation of sol much of the complete liquid-dispensingapparatus as is necessary to a proper explanation of the measuring. device, the housing rcabinet being shown in section and broken away at top andbottom; v f i Fig. 2 is atop plan view ofthe mechanism, the casing being again shown intransverse section but on the horizontal plane 2-2 of Final; .v

3 is a vertical sectional View. of. the measuring device per se zY y n K n Fig. 4; is a plan or tace'view of a disk usedY at top and bottom ofthe measuring. cylinder;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the pawl and ratchet mechanism for imparting stepn measuring cylinder; In practice the receiving. and discharging in 90O relation, but are shown in Fig. 3 in 1800 relation to Vpermit both Vto bev illustrated in the same figure.l

For convenience in reading th'e specifica-k tions of this and the parent application' in other the same?` designating numerals are used: in bothv for like; parts It is important in apparatus for dispensing beverages that the iiavoring. extract orl syrup be accurately measured, delivered-in or glasses, or f 735,613. Patent No. 1,650,151, dated November; caf

semi No. 223,956.

uniform quantities, and added a) or mn g1g d withl carbonated Water similarly measured, toV end that the beverage so produced, shall beof like character and quantity for allwho patronize themachines, and however often.. said machines are operated. It is to attain: this end that the measuring device now to be described is designed. v y `The complete bevera -dispensing apparatus comprises a metaldiec casing consisting, preferably, offour uprights or main supporting members 1 ofl angle iron, spaced and tiedv together at suitable intervals by similar but horizontally disposed angleiron bars 2-the walls 3 oflheet metal or other thin material being. secured to the angle ironV framing by rivets .or other suitable fastenings, a door orv doors being. provided to atiord ready access to the mechanism. within the casing or cabinet. The horizontal angle irons supportltloors` orshelves 4. and 5, carrying portions offthe dispensing mechanism, While the water tank 14 and carbonating fcylinders:15 may ,convenientlyl be placed in the base of `the cabinet upon a floor similar to the shelves 4 and, 5. Syrup tanks 6 and an ice chamber 7 i are .contained in the upper compartment o the cab-` inet, two syrup tanks being here shown for diiferent Syrups, and the dispensing. mechanismA being securedto the underside of the door of said compartment. Space is left between the syrup tanks 6 and the forward side` ofy the ice chamber 7 for a @ack 9 of nested paper cups, which are delivered one at a time upon introduction of a proper coin or token throughone or another slot 84i or 85. accord.- ing to the syrup desired. followed by actuation of. a lever 29 seen in Fig-srl and 2. 'Lever 29 is carried by andL serves to oscillate about its axis. a1 rockshaft 68 encircled by a helical' spring 70, oneend of which .is made fast to the rcckshaft and the otherend of which is attached to-a ixed part of the framework, as 69. Carried by and oscillatable with` the rockshat 68 isa sector gear 71.'-which meshes witha rack 72 carried by a sliding cross head 73provided with openings 7 4 and 75 through whichpassrods 76 and 77. One or the other of said rods is caused to advance withV the cross head. 7 3 through the'.v introduction cfa der side of floor 4.

As stated, two distinct and independent syrup measuring and delivery devices are illustrated in Figs. l and 2, and as they are alike in all respects save that the pawl and ratchet mechanism employed is made to r0- tate the measuring cylinder clockwise in one case and anticlockwise in the other, description of one will apply to both. f

30 and 31v indicate the outer cylinders or shells of the two cylinders illustrated, the upper end of each of which. is closed by an integral head formed with a projecting flange or with ears, to receive fastening bolts or screws 32 by which to secure them to the un-V Immediately below and in close contact with the head of each cylinder is a flat disk or gasket 33 of some suitable substance or material, such as cork, vegetable fiber, or the like, unaffected by, and incapable of injuriously affecting the syrups used,r yet suliciently yielding tor permit the embedding therein of anular V-shaped ribs 34 formed on a metallic disk 35. of which there is one fitted within the top of each cylinder, and pressed firmly against the disk or gasket 33. The gasket is held by a pin 36 or equivalent means, against shifting or turning. The disk 35 forms the upper end or head of -an internal cylinder 37, and has a series of circular openings 38 to register with circular chambers 39 formed in and extending from end to end of cylinder 37, parallel with its axis. As shown in Fig. 3 the openings in disk 35 are of frusto-- conical form, their lower boundaries being of the same diameter as the chambers 39, while their upper boundaries are of smaller diameter. A metallic disk 4() and gasket 41 of the same form and character as disk 35 and gasket 33, and similarly held against turning, constitute the lower closure and ,packing of each cylinder, the V-shaped ribs of each metal disk serving to embed themselves into the contacting gasket and so to prevent entrance or passage of syrup between them, and further serving to make a liquid-tight joint of the gasket with the outer cylinder by slightly eX- panding the gasket at its periphery. Each syrup tank 6 communicates by an outlet or passage 42 with the syrup cell or cham ber of cylinder 37 at the time directly below it, and a like outlet 43 at the lowerend of the cylinder which registers with a nipple 44, permits escape of syrup from another such cell or chamber. The inlet and outlet openings 42 and 43 are,'for the purpose of show'- ing both inlet and outlet in the one ligure, here shown as on diametrically opposite sides of thecylinder axis, and as there are' four chambers or cells 39 in the cylinder 3f?, one chamber will receive its `charge at the same time that another is delivering its charge, and with the inlets and outlets in 180 degree relation, an intermediate chamber would at such time be full and ready to move to the discharging position and to begin its die harg'c simultaneously with commencement of the filling of the chamber at the same time reacl ing the'lilling position. In practice, however, the inlet and outlet openings are placed in 90 degree relation, to the end that each charge of syrup shall be received in cooled condition directly from the syrup tank, immediately prior to its discharge from the measuring cylinder 39. To permit the charge of syrup to leave the chamber 39 promptly and conipletely when said chamber registers with the outlet opening, a vent passage 39 in vertical alinement with discharge nipple 44 is formed in the head of each outer cylinder.

Mention has been made of the flaring or conoidal form of the openings 38 through disks 35 and 40, the purpose of which is to facilitate the complete fillingl and complete discharge of chambers 39. It is desirable to make the filling and discharge openings smaller in diameter than the chambers 39 but it has been found in practice that if the openings be smaller than the chambers and of like diameter throughout. air will collect or be pocketed in the angles encompassing said openings and will prevent the complete filling and the proper or prompt emptying of the chambers. By the construction described. prompt and complete filling an d emptying of the chambers `39 is ensured, and uniform syrup charges are assured.

Each inner cylinder 37 is formed or furnished` with a downwardly extending stem 45 concentric with the axis of the cylinder. and serving to carry a ratchet disk 46 made fast thereto in any convenient way, a set screw 46 being shown for this purpose in Fig. 3. Ratchet disk 46 is cut away on its upper face to form a circular boss 47Y concentric with the disk, and said boss is encircled by an annular pawl-carrier 48 provided with a pi voted pawl 49, the free end of which is pressed toward the periphery of disk 46 by a spring 50 carried between the downwardly turned end of a radial arm 51 of the carrier 48 and the pawl 49. (See Figs-1. 2 and- The disk 46 is provided on its outer edge with a series of ratchet teeth 48', four being shown. The several teeth will in all cases be equally spaced apart, and will correspond in number with the chambers 39 in cylinder 37. with other parts constructed 'and arranged as here shown to advance successive chambers of the cylinder to the filling or Yto the discharging position by a single movement ofthe pawl-carrier 48 and pawl 49. Oscillating motion is transmitted to pawl-carrier 48 by a link 52 pinjointed at one end to an ear projecting from the periphery of said carrier, and attached at its other end to a moving part of the mechanism, as later explained.

It is of course necessary to provide means for retaining in position and squarely seating the disk 40 and gasket 41, and applying adequate pressure thereto; but it is likewise desirable that these parts and the inner cylinder^37 bealso readily removable from each outer cylinder for cleaning, repair, or substitution. To attain these ends there is provided as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the annularly flanged or cup-shaped cap 53, the ange 54 of which encircles and closely iits the exterior of each cylinder 30 or 31 at its lower end, a groove 55 being formed in the inner wall of said flange to receive a gasket or packing to ensure a liquid-tight joint. A central openinor is formed in the cap 53 for passage of axial stem 45 of cylinder 37 through it, and the cap may be applied and removed by hand and without the aid of tools.

To apply adequate pressure to cap 53 to seat it squarely upon cylinder 37 and to cause due embedding of the annular ribs of disk 40 into gasket 41, there is provided an L-shaped lever 56 which is fulcrumed at the junction of its arms in the lower end of a pendant bracket 57 securedat its upper end to the stationary cylinder. The horizontal arm of lever 56 is bifurcated to straddle stem 45, and both arms ofthe fork are formed with rounded upper faces to afford line bearings against the under face of cap 53, and to permit said cap to rock or tip thereon. Passing horizontally through a threaded hole in the upper end of the upright arm of lever 56 is a substantial screw stem 58 provided with a milled head or other means of turning it, and bear ing at its other end against the bracket 57 or against the face of the cylinder. By turning the screw stem to advance it toward the cylinder it will, on obtaining a bearing thereon, force outward the upright arm of lever 56, thereby elevating the lower arm thereof and applying upward pressure to the Vcap 53 which, however, is free to slightly rock or tip on the rounded faces of the lever arm and thus to adapt itself nicely to the cylinder 37, and gasket 41, bringing all into close and iirm bearing Contact, thus embedding the annular ribs inthe gaskets and pressing the gaskets firmly against the cylinder heads. By reversing the turning of the screw the cap can be relieved of pressure and removed.

l A vertical key 140 prevents4 turning of cap This manner of securing the cap overcomes a serious diiiculty experienced with' other modes of holding it in place, and insures tight joints with easy and free movement of the inner cylinder, all cramping and bind ing being avoided. Thisis highly important, particularly when the machine is to be manually operated. To permit cap 53 to seat itself readily upon the cylinder 37, the

vlutiiont the\associated tiratfwhiclisispiHjOiIitedrto.theupawl-carrier 48qand` 'connected'. by a studpa-ssing; through said siot'; with tlievlwerrfendi of a :pendulous lever asuspended frornV a point iistLbeneath the` door .14'.- -w'Eaelr isaid': lever: 87` is vertically` slotted' to receivea spin or stud 89 secured to'v theiproximite''rodf 714 55or7f by screwing or thermiset@ Ast-said nods'y are reciprocated revers'e i'd-iriectiorr. bythe spri-ngr179.tendingv to lift said lever and hold itrinae'levated position, it .ollnwsgfthatxaonfeacli depression. of said leverf'one. `ou: .'Ithenther. link'.- 52 will be@ movedy Vfirst rearwardlyand: immediateiy thereafter forwardly; thus: 'turning :on'e'.f=:o-rz,th e other ratchet .disk47 `and imparting a quarter? revo i measuring Vcylinder` grees in a circle (360) by the number of r measuring cells or chambers in such cylinder. While two measuring mechanisms and two syrup tanks and attendant parts are illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and four measuring cells are shown, it is to be clearly understood that the number of measuring cells in each device, may be varied at will. The claims are therefore to be read with this understanding.

What is claimed is 1. A beverage-dispensingapparatus provided with a syrup-measuring device comprising an outer cylinder having an inlet opening at its top and an outlet opening in its base, and an internal cylinder provided with syrup-measuring chambers of rustoconical form at their ends, the smaller open ing of each rusto-conical passage being of the same diameter as the proximate inlet or outlet opening; whereby the pocketing of air is precluded and the chambers are caused to iill and empty completely andquickly.

2. In a beverage-dispensing apparatus, a syrup-measuring device, comprising an outer cylinder with closed upper and lower ends and having an inlet at the upper and an outlet at the lower end; a rotatable cylinder within the outer cylinder, provided with a plurality of measuring chambers; disks above and below the inner cylinder, provided with conical openings registering with and forming continuations of said chambers and with annular V-shaped ribs on their outer faces; packing gaskets interposed between the disks and the cylinder heads, the upper gasket having an opening registering with the inlet opening of the upper disk and the lower gasket having an opening registering with the outlet opening of the lower disk; and means for causing facewise pressure of the disks against the gaskets and thereby causing the annular ribs to embed themselves in the gaskets.

3. In a beverage-dispensing apparatus, a syrup-measuring device consisting of an outer cylinder havmg a closed head provided with a syrup-inlet; an inner cylinder provided with a plurality of measuring chambers; a flanged lower head for the outer cylinder, provided with a syrup-outlet; a bracket carried by the outer cylinder; an elbow lever fulcrumed in said bracket and having one arm provided with a rounded face to bear beneath the lower head of the cylinder; and a screw carried by the other arm of the lever and serving to cause the lower arm to apply pressure to said head :and to seat and retain the same squarely and firmly against the end of the cylinder.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

JOHN L. PATTERSON. 

